A Place to Belong
by JackBoy15
Summary: Aleeah Grace has never fit in anywhere, and has suffered her whole life with being abused by her own family that has never cared for her. She one day finds herself on the east side and finds a family among the the greasers, and gets to one greaser especially.
1. Aleeah Grace

I was neither Greaser nor Soc as I wasn't quite poor enough to really be considered a Greaser though I was much more a Greaser than anything as I fit in more with them than anyone else, feeling more safe with them than my own family as they have done nothing to make me feel like I could ever be safe with them.

I was also not rich enough to be labeled a Soc though not like I actually wanted to be one as Socs were nothing but arrogant snobs that always thought they were better than you for having more money and would rather live life as a Greaser even though my cruel and hateful parents loved to pretend that they were more rich than they actually were.

I also didn't fit in with my family of five older football playing brothers and a spoiled older cheerleading sister that basically ignore me and always make me feel like an outsider in my own family as they have never appreciated me for who I truly was and I never understood what I had done to make my own family not even care or want anything to do with me.

I was never girl enough for my mother as my older sister was, like she had wanted me to be as I was always more tomboy than anything and have ignored my existence for half my life, basically having to raise myself, and I wasn't tomboy enough for my father as I was supposed to have been born a boy, not some useless girl that was good for nothing.

It always made me feel ashamed of myself for having been born a girl though my father has no problem spoiling my older sister and loving her as his daughter, but saw me as nothing more than just worthless baggage that he wanted to be rid of, hating me from the moment I was born and it didn't matter what I did or how hard I tried to make them proud, I was never going to be good enough for my family.

My parents have always took pride in having five famous football playing sons that everyone seems to love, maybe sometimes a little too much though they also didn't know my older brothers like I did and my parents seemed to care much more about my brothers playing football than they actually cared for them, but it was more than they ever cared for me.

They despised me for having been born and why I was always called the black sheep of the family as I was never one to let someone walk all over them, and never have a problem with calling someone out on something when I thought they were doing something wrong and they cared more about their sons and oldest daughter than they did their youngest daughter that they have always treated as their personal maid.

I was basically treated as a slave or a personal servant by my family, when I wasn't getting beat and have come to terms that my family treats me like trash who have basically starved me and just hope I will die, having even had my older sister spit in my face once, while my parents had laughed at my expense.

Though I know Greasers do have it bad, I wonder if they are mistreated and starved for days without food as I am, but I knew better than to cry about it as crying would only give my father another reason to hit me.

I know that I should love my family as they are the only family I have even though they treat me like trash, but I just hate them for what they have done to me over the years and I have tried my hardest to just get them to love me just once in my life, but it doesn't matter what I do, they have never accepted me when that was all that I ever really wanted.

I even dressed more as a boy than the girl that I am as I was desperate for my father to accept me as his daughter or to tell me that he loved me just once in my life, but that was nothing more than a fantasy that was never going to come true and that I was just unlovable to all those around me, realizing that I will never be family to them.

It isn't even just my parents that treat me bad, my siblings are just as bad towards me if not worse than my parents, making me practically wish that I was never born, sometimes just wanting to die, but always too scared to ever attempt that goal.

I was always on the verge of breaking down and know that I was not going to be able to survive another eight years with this family that I want nothing to do with; with my brother's loving to take turns beating on me when they feel the need to entertain themselves and my sister is so spoiled and loves to just spit in my face, making me feel worthless and that there was no one that will ever love me in the world.

* * *

I was lingering around the Greaser side of town, hungry and malnourished as my parents hardly ever allowed me to eat and even when I was earned the luxury to eat, I was never allowed to eat with the family in the dining room or giving the same luxuries that my siblings took for granted.

I was only ever allowed to be given some stale bread and a lump of moldy cheese if they were being generous which I have come accustomed to, and why I look as if I was six instead of an almost nine year old girl, wandering around, hoping to find some food as I haven't been fed for at least three days and just wanted something to eat.

I walked by a gas station that was filled with teenage customers and could see one teenage Greaser pumping gas for rude Socs, while the other Greaser was under a hood of some car and recognized him as the Greaser that got in a fight with one my brothers a few months ago and broke my brothers nose.

That caused me to take an immediate liking to him just because he managed to take down my brother and not many can take down my brothers and would feel safe with him if my brothers were to come after me with him nearby, especially since he won the fight with my brother.

I felt slightly bad about stealing from them as it is obvious that they had to work hard for what they have unlike my brothers who get everything handed to them, but I was just so hungry and my parents just don't feed me enough and refuse to feed me for another couple more days as they like to wait as long as possible without feeding me, but enough that it supposedly isn't considered abuse or neglect.

I slid by a group of teenagers that were hanging out and was small enough to not be noticed and they seemed to too busy for anyone to notice me anyway or even care that I had snuck by and into the store which was also filled with a few people so no one noticed me when I discretely placed a few items and a bottle of pop into my pocket and slowly started heading towards the door.

I was just about to walk out and find a park somewhere to eat my only meal for the next few days, when I felt someone grab my shoulder and panicking, I swung around and punching him in the gut and running out which automatically caused attention to me as I felt someone coming after me, but too scared to look up to see who was chasing me as everyone looked up when I ran past them.

I could hear someone say, "Stop that kid, he didn't pay for it," believing me to be a boy as they couldn't see my hair as I had my hood up and could feel more of those guys that I had passed by on the way in, running after me.

I knew that there was no way that I could outrun three teenage guys and it didn't take long for one of them to grab me from behind, causing me to start screaming, hoping someone would hear though I doubt that anyone would come to my rescue.

"Kid, you are in for a world of hurt, I outta beat it out of you, boy for trying to take from a Greaser," the mean looking brown haired boy said, shaking me and still not realizing I was a girl, but my Dad makes it seem like being a girl is a bad thing so I always dress more as a boy so I can't really blame them for thinking I was one.

I probably also looked like a Greaser too with my second hand clothes which was all my parents will ever get me, seeing me as nothing but a live in servant and not their daughter, even making me sleep on a old dirty mattress in the cold attic with only a thin blanket to keep warm.

I don't know what came over me, thinking I could just get away with stealing from a bunch of Greasers and just burst into tears as I didn't want to steal, I was just so hungry and could take it anymore as I felt the one shaking me, tighten his grip, "Stop crying, you ain't a girl," he said though that is exactly what I was.

"Dallas, back off. They can't be much older than six or seven and your scaring them, the kid just looks hungry," I heard someone speak up and looked up to see the Greaser that beat my brother to the ground though that didn't mean I wasn't scared of them.

I watched as the one name Dallas shoved me away as my hood slipped off my head, and hearing gasps around me as my light blonde hair fell out of my hood, "Looks like it's a girl, Dal. What's wrong, couldn't tell the difference," I heard another joke as the one named Dallas gave me a nasty glare that made me feel very threatened.

"Fuck off. Not my fault the brat looked like a boy, but what are we going to do with her. She needs to learn not to steal from Greasers" he snared at the boy who teased him while still giving these dark looks and I just wanted to be anywhere but here right now, even being at home sounded like a better option and that wasn't saying much.

I got scared when he said that but nothing that they could do to me could ever be worse than what my supposed parents do to me, "Dallas, back off! I know you don't like kids but she is a little girl and it looks like she is just hungry," the one I recognized as the Greaser who beat up my brother said to him as he turned his eyes softly to me.

"Are you hungry, sweetheart? Was that why you were stealing," he asked me in a more gentle tone, not at all like the angry tone he used with his friend, Dallas as I nodded my head at him, too frightened to speak as I wasn't sure I could trust him.

I heard one of the other guys laugh at him, "Look at that, Steve being nice to a little girl! Who would have thought. Well, see ya'll later. Bye kid," he said, taking off down the street, farther downtown as I shivered in fear as I felt someone touch my shoulder and jumped back in fear of what they were going to do to me.

"Soda easy, not so fast. She's scared. It's alright, sweetheart, we're not mad you stole, but I'm sure we can find you something better than that to eat. Would you like something to eat," I heard Steve say, as he offered me his hand and was intending to take it when I saw Dallas giving me looks that scared me and moved away.

I watched him frown and look at Dallas, "Knock it off, will ya Dal, your only scaring her more when I am trying to get her to come back with us. Your just mad that she got one over you. It's ok, I won't him let hurt here," he said, letting me take his hand as he took my stolen items from me and lead me back to the gas station, not realizing how far I ran as I stayed close to his side, scared of the others with us and what they would do to me.

I still didn't really trust them, what if they were just being nice so that they could get me alone somewhere and hurt me, because my brothers will sometimes be real nice to me and then get some friends together to hurt and taunt me about why they would ever care for me, I was nothing to him.

I stayed close to Steve, wondering if he could take the rest of them down if the others wanted to hurt me and I only ever trusted one other person and that was my best friend, Piper who was technically a Greaser, living on the edge of the east side of Tulsa but lived slightly better than most, just narrowly missing being middle class.

In some ways, she had more money than me though that has more to do with the fact that her parents actually gave a crap about her, having two parents and an older brother and sister that she idolized, something I never will have a chance at having, wishing I could just get myself a new family so I will never have to see mine ever again.

I felt Steve grab my hand as we crossed the road, remembering how Piper told me that her mom makes her take her hand when she crosses the road so she doesn't run off on her and get hurt, and it was comforting but odd as no one has ever done that to me before.

I wish he could be my older brother instead of always having to endure pain from the brothers I am forced to call them and sister that sees me as threat and enjoys just watching me suffer, laughing at my expense.

Why did I have to be born with a family that doesn't love or care about me, I have never done anything to him for the way that I was treated and my parents have never given me an ounce of love in my whole life, saying that I didn't deserve to be born, and there are days that I wish that I would not wake up the next day, with the only person caring being Piper, everything else would enjoy me being gone.

I would love to throw it in my brothers faces that I had moved on from them and got myself my own brother, but there was no way that any of them would want me, especially after getting busted stealing from them, I was just plain Aleeah Grace DeLaurentis, nothing special.


	2. Diner

I managed to keep a safe distance from that mean boy that had grabbed me, threatening to beat me, not like I wasn't used to being beat as my family always made sure I had my traditional beating everyday after they had supper, not really caring that sometimes I would cry myself to sleep in pain from the hunger and trying hard not to let them hear which would only make my beating worse.

I was being skittish, jumping over every little thing and stayed close to the nice boy with greasy hair who they said was named Steve, the one that had took three of my older brothers at one time which I had actually been glad that someone could take them, still thought it was unfair he was the only one that got in trouble.

I don't understand why the other boys thought him being nice was the funniest thing ever, so I am guessing that he usually isn't always nice to others as I vaguely remember hearing my brother talking about him after getting the fight with him and how he was a real dick, well not to everyone or he wouldn't have been so nice to me.

I liked how he was acting all big brother like to me, like Piper's older brother who at times would be a brother to me as my own would rather pound on me for their own amusement, letting him take my hand into his own rough one that could probably do a lot of damage if he wanted to, but liked that he was being real nice to me.

Though it was probably just an act, like my brothers would be with me sometimes as they always were nice to me when they actually wanted me for something, mostly to use me as some kind of pawn to do their dirty work for them, hating myself for falling for their nice act every time so have learned to avoid them when they are being nice and wonder if Steve was like that too.

I wonder why he fought my brothers like that though I wouldn't really be surprised if my stupid brothers did something to instigate him or if my brothers were ganging up on him though I bet he was the only one that actually got in trouble because I know my brothers were given a free pass which doesn't seem fair, another reason for me to hate them.

My brothers always seemed to get away with everything in town because they play football and give the school wins which is so unfair because half of everyone knows what they do and how they treat me, but because my brothers are loved for playing football, they pretend it is not happening, not caring I was a little girl.

I didn't really understand why he needed me to hold his hand to cross the street, I have crossed the street many of times before now so never had a problem before, but just let him take my hand even though I did't quite understand the concept though remember how Piper's brother makes her hold his hand when they were anywhere busy, sometimes holding mine as well when I was with them, saying he didn't want us getting lost which showed more care than my own brothers did.

I was glad that we had separated from the other boys after we had taken my stolen items back to the gas station, meeting the scowling glare of his boss who wanted to take a swing at me, but Steve wouldn't let him though got warned if I was to ever steal from him again, he would make me feel the leather of his belt and didn't even cause me to flinch, I was used to beat threats, I get them almost everyday.

I didn't bother correcting the guys when they assumed I was just a Greaser child and that their parents just couldn't afford to feed her so went searching for food, but didn't want them to know where I came friend, they wouldn't like that I was the sister of the DeLaurentis brothers who bully anyone below them, including me and would hate me for being related to them.

It didn't help that I looked like a Greaser as I was dirty from not being allowed to bathe yet this week and wore worn down clothes and sneakers that were falling apart that made me look like a greaser instead of the average middle class girl, but I hated them all, they let my family abuse me and do nothing to protect me as they all knew what goes on but act like it isn't happening.

He had taken me to some diner on the Greaser's part of town, enjoying just going out somewhere to eat as I had never been include in the weekly outings my parents would go, saying it was for my family only and I was never going to be family, not to them so maybe I can find a family of my own that actually appreciates me for me instead of a family that never accepts me.

He had told me I could order anything I wanted as everything was reasonable and this was his favorite place to go to eat, still not understanding how he could be so nice to me when he doesn't even know my name as I was still waiting him to ask me for it, too scared to tell him with myself or even to order my own food, letting him order for me when it was clear I wasn't going to do it myself.

Steve had ordered me some chicken fingers and fries, with corn as he wanted me to have some vegetables, claiming I was unhealthily too small for my age who has already seemed to figure out I was older than he had assumed I was, believing me to have been seven or six years old though it could be a lot worse.

"I can't keep calling you kid, what's your name, you can tell me," Steve said kindly as he watched me eat, not getting anything himself as he didn't have enough money which made me feel bad that he was using the last of his money to feed me when he didn't have to though told me it was nothing and got paid in a few days.

"Gracie, I'm almost nine," I said softly, almost a whisper though I knew that Steve had heard me, using my middle name as I always do and that is what Piper and my other friends call me, no one calls me Aleeah except for my parents or grandparents and they never mean it in a positive way which makes me despise that name while my siblings call me Alex which I hate and why I go by my middle name, with only my teachers refusing to not to call me Aleeah as they refuse to call me anything but my given name.

"Gracie. It's good and it suits you. What's your last name, hon," he asked me but just shook my head at him, not wanting him to give him my last name and it doesn't fit me anyway and didn't want to tell him as he would hate me for being related to my brothers and I didn't want that, I liked him, even more than my own brothers which wasn't saying much, maybe he could be my new brother.

"It's okay Gracie honey, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I was just curious, it's your business," he said nicely to me and could see from afar some of my brothers friends but were too busy harassing some girls that they didn't notice me as I hid slightly in my seat so they wouldn't see me though were far away enough that they probably wouldn't notice me.

He looked at me with care instead of the scowls I had watched him show everyone else we had seen since I had been with him which was nice and the only one besides Piper's older brother who would sometimes treats me like a little sister, who was ever nice to me and wasn't trying to take advantage me.

I have serious trust issues with many people, only trusting a small handful of people because of my mistreatment and sometimes have trouble even trusting completely as I was always holding back and can never let my guard down even with those I trust, scared of being betrayed.

I haven't decided if I could trust him yet or not, or if he was actually being genuine and wanting to be kind to me, but it takes me a good long while to trust someone and trust has to be learned, but he does make me feel safe and would feel safe being with him with my brothers around, knowing he could protect me but doubt he would want to, no one does.

For the first time in my probably my whole life it seems, I was actually not in pain from the hunger of being denied food as my parents have been cruelly doing to me my whole life and actually felt full, something I didn't know what that felt like until now, founding someone that cared more than my own parents.

As far as my parents were concerned, I didn't get the right to just be a child and have fun, I was born to be their slave and was lucky that they even allowed me to attend school instead of keeping me locked up in the attic.

My father hated me the most, except at night time when he would come up to the attic while I was sleeping and be nice to me, making me take off my clothes which I didn't understand or like when he made me do things like that, but didn't have a choice, he was stronger than me and hit me when I didn't comply with him.

"So eight, huh and your almost nine, I'm guessing you are starting fourth grade in the Fall," Steve asked me while he threw money down on the counter and signaling our waitress who had a slight snotty attitude but not like he was being nice to her and gave her a nasty glare when she snapped at me to hurry up, almost making me cry and I had done enough crying for today.

"Fourth grade, best speller in the class. Daddy says I'm too much of a retard to be good in anything, he says I'm ugly and worthless. Mama says she wished she'd aborted me but I don't know what she means, probably why they won't let me eat," I said, innocently as I sipped the rest of my chocolate shake, wanting to get every last bit of this yummy chocolate drink.

I watched him go wide eyed for some reason, still not quite realizing what I had actually said to him yet as I well into my chocolate shake, but I liked him, he was nice and wish that he could be my big brother instead of the mean ones that I have now, I don't like that they hurt me and find it funny when they can get me to cry.

My sister can also be as bad and when she isn't bullying or spitting in my face, she and her boyfriend are practicing thier parent skills on me for when she becomes a parent herself which is a scary thought and will just mess them up, even lets her boyfriend try to 'discipline me' but that is when I start biting them which usually gets her to back off after my father hits me.

I watch as snotty waitress lady who had on too much eye makeup that didn't really make her look pretty at all, came back to snatch the money off the table, that was rude, "Anything else you want," she snapped, popping chewing gum in her mouth, I hate chewing gum, it was too chewy.

A fight was starting to break out in the back so felt Steve grab my hand and pull me outside, staying just long enough to get his change, ignoring the nasty waitress that didn't like me, probably just didn't like kids or something.

"Come on, I'll take you home," Steve said, pulling me towards his car and I panicked because I couldn't let him know where I lived, he will know I was related to _them_ and will hate me just because I happen to be their little sister even if they don't treat me as one, much rather treating me like a slave, I was still related to them and nothing I can do about it.

I knew I was going to have to lie to keep him from knowing where I actually live as he would know who I was related to if I didn't, when he has been nothing but kind and nice to me as I lead him in the opposite direction of where I live, making him believe I was a greaser but I rather be that, than what my parents were, but I was neither and have no where to belong, but is just my life.

I let him drop me off at an old house that I knew was abandoned as this is where I would spend the night when I wanted to get away from my family for a while, especially my father and spend more time here, than I ever did my actual home and if he had doubts that this wasn't my home, he didn't show it.

"Alright kid, here we are and no more stealing, just come find me when you get hungry and I will find you something to eat. I catch you stealing again, I will do the same thing I would have done to my little brother if I caught him stealing," he said, sternly and almost sounded like a older brother to me, and seemed like he loved his little brother.

He startled me when I felt him kiss the top of my head like an older brother would do as he escorted me to the door, saying this neighborhood wasn't safe at night and told me to lock the door until my parents came home, and felt guilty for lying to him about where I live but couldn't let him know, he would treat me the same as everyone else.

I felt a little jealous of this little brother, I wished he was my older brother but he already had a younger sibling to take care of me, he wouldn't want me too when he had been so nice to me and didn't want to make him feel like he had to take care of me, I had been doing fine on my own for the last eight, almost nine years and couldn't risk getting close to someone who was just going to hurt me.


	3. The DeLaurentis Brother's

I watched as his car drove away as I felt bad for lying to him about where I lived, but saw no other way around it, he would have hated me with pure passion for just being the younger sister to the DeLaurentis brothers, despite them abusing me as much as them, if not more, but doubt he would see me that way.

I was also curious at what he meant by doing the same thing to me as he would do to do his brother, though I probably don't want to find out and wonder how old his little brother was, he was lucky to have an older brother to look after him; all I ever got from mine, was cruelty.

I probably won't ever see him again and it isn't his job to look after me anyway, he already had a younger brother to look after who probably wouldn't like me taking away all his older brother's attention if I started coming around and couldn't do that to someone else, I know what it feels like to be neglected and unwanted, it doesn't feel good.

It's not like he would want me hanging around him anyway, I was just some eight year old girl who meant nothing to anyone and if my own family believes I am worthless, I must be and doubt some teenage Greaser was going to see anything different.

It was late, so I didn't want to go home and by now, my parents probably had already locked the doors for the night, knowing that I wasn't home yet though it wouldn't be the first time that they 'accidentally' locked me out as they believed that I was already in bed, but I never have the chance to be a normal child that goes to bed, I was too busy doing chores, knowing if I leave them undone, I would get a beating of my life.

I was tired and wished I could have gone to Piper's, but she was visiting her grandmother for the summer as her mother and brother were both working, leaving no one to watch her though never understood the reason of needing to be watched, my parents never seemed to care what I did though knew she was not happy about it as she never really liked her grandmother as she says she can be overly critical towards her, though I would take that over how my family treats me now.

As far as my family was concerned, I didn't exist and didn't matter and since I was a minor, they could do whatever they wanted to me and I had no say, so unless I found somewhere else to live, I had to keep my mouth shut or they would give me worse.

I wished I had a big brother to care for me like Piper had who sometimes let me borrow hers when I needed it which shows just how much of a best friend she is and don't know what I would do without her, but it still wasn't the same as having a big brother of my own.

Despite having no place to sleep, I sleep in this rundown house more than I ever do at home where I would sleep in a cold attic as I have been doing since my Grandma died when I was four, not even being allowed a bed, but I would rather be sleeping in a cold rundown house than in that dark attic.

It was slightly cold in the house, despite it being summer and only having a few blankets that I had managed to keep stashed when I would sleep here as my parents took pleasure in 'accidentally' locking me out at night, knowing I was afraid of the dark because of that attic and I was just counting down the days for when my family goes off on that cruise that I was not invited to, so at least had peace for a month.

Though being cold was better than being at home in a dark attic, always worrying about someone coming in, mostly my father as he says that since I wasn't his real daughter, he didn't feel guilty about doing what he did while no one in my family would listen to my screams while he would do things, not even my own mother, the woman that should have loved me and acted like nothing happened, not caring about what my own father, sometimes even my own brother's would do to me when they came to me at night.

I was barely five years old, the first time it happened and I don't understand what it meant, I just knew that it felt wrong and I didn't want him doing that to me, but the first time I resisted him, he hit me which took me by surprise as before that, he had only ignored me, but after that, all he did was hit me and yet, I still longed to make him want me as a daughter.

I still don't know why I cared about what he thought about me, especially after all that he put me through since I have lived with him but despite what he thought of me and that I wasn't really his daughter in his opinion, he was still my father and just hoped that one day he saw me as something more as something that he could beat on.

I wrapped my slim jacket around myself to keep out some of the cold as though it was technically summer time now, it was still cold here at night and didn't exactly have blankets to keep me warm at night that most kids my age took advantage of and probably wouldn't last a day in my shoes if they had to; I guess that makes me a survivor, something that most people don't see about me, I was just the weak sister of the DeLaurentis brothers.

I wish that I had something warmer to wear, but like how my parents will only feed me some old scrapes a few times a week, they barely bought me new clothes and whenever I would be lucky enough to earn new clothes, it was mostly old rags that at one time, belonged to my sister.

I was lucky to get new clothes at all, so wasn't about to go ask for something a little bit more warmer to wear as they only gave me summer clothes and pretended like they didn't see how cold I was during winter, almost like they took enjoyment in watching me suffer; I was lucky to not get sick.

I loathed being related to them, their reputation follows me and though they are very popular in this town and while some people love my brothers because they are famous football players in this town, there were some that didn't like my brothers and me because of them, they judge me because of who they were, without bothering to get to know me first.

I was nothing like the rest of the family and if anyone took the chance to know me, they would know that too, but only Piper and her older brother knew the real me as not even teachers saw me as anything but being the DeLaurentis's kid sister, and even if they knew I was mistreated, they wouldn't help me because of my brothers.

I hated how my family would treat people as they were nothing but cruel towards other people and I was nothing but nice, always thinking about others, though many just chose not to see it, preferring to keep me at a distance, yet my family is still well liked, but I believe that was more out of fear than loyalty.

I was an malnourished eight, almost nine year old girl, yet I was hated more than the rest of my family, even when I have done nothing to them, but most likely my family had and since my family couldn't be touched, they took it out on me as they knew my family wouldn't care if they mistreated me or not, thankfully it was more verbal than physical.

I was grateful that it wasn't winter right now, otherwise I wouldn't even risk sleeping here, forcing me to actually sleep at my home, if I could actually call that awful place home, the air would be brutal, especially without a coat and wish just once that I had one person that notices me not wearing a coat, because maybe then they will take me away from my family and I would be safe away from their abuse, but that is only a dream that will never happen as I felt myself fall asleep.

* * *

It waited until both my parents had already left for work before I went home, not feeling up to dealing with them this early yet and knowing I was going to be hearing from my mother for not making breakfast this morning, not seeming to care that I didn't come home last night.

I honestly doubt that they even notice as soon as I am done with my duties, I lock myself up in my attic as there is no point in me sticking around where I am not wanted and just because I am forced to make the dinner, it doesn't mean I am allowed to eat it.

I don't really wait for my family to finally getting around to feeding me as it usually took them days that actually remember, which was one of the reasons why I always go hunting for food on the Greaser's side of town, knowing that there was no chance of being recognized and I had to eat.

I could hear my older brothers getting up to something in the kitchen, probably no good and it is a surprise that they have actually managed to get to highschool, with my oldest brother having even managed to graduate, with how stupid they can be.

Knowing my older sister, I knew that she was most likely still asleep as she claims that she needs her precious beauty sleep and there will be hell to pay if she doesn't get it, mostly taking it out on me, with her boyfriend sometimes being in her room with her though don't really understand that one as if she needed her sleep so much, why does she allow him to be in her room with her.

She will most likely be waking up around noon and will demanding food for me to make for her which is why I try to get at of the house before she wakes which isn't always easy with having six older siblingss, and if it I was home and didn't comply by her demands, I was used as a personal punching bag and my siblings were worse than my parents at times.

I quietly tried to sneak up to my attic without making any noise that would let one of my brothers know that I was home and want to practice more of their so fight skills on me like they always do and don't feel in the mood to be pain today or to earn myself another broken bone which is what happens when I resist or try to escape their wrathe, and unfortunately luck was not on my side today as one of the steps creaked, alerting my brothers to me.

"Alex, there you are. Mom told us that we were to punish you for not getting home in time to make breakfast, but leave some for her tonight," my oldest brother said, grinning evilly at me as I cringed at that awful nickname, hating it more than anything as all that it brought was pain and torture.

I felt panic go through me as I felt my throat close up at the mention of 'punishment' as you never knew what to expect with them because they so loved to experiment different punishments with me, and my brother's and my mother were always the worse when it came to punishments.

I knew there was no use running as it was five against one, not to mention that they were all tough football players so there was no way I could overpower them either way, but of course that still didn't stop me from trying to escape their abuse as any normal eight year old would do, but of course I was grabbed before I got halfway up the stairs and wouldn't be surprised if the struggle had woken up my sister who would gladly join in for waking her up.

"Nice try, Alex. Though now you just made it even worse for yourself," my oldest brother, Jake said as he dragged me back in the living room where my other four older brothers were waiting for the torture to begin with smiles so big that you would think it was Christmas instead of beating on their little sister; I thought big brothers were supposed to look after their younger siblings.

Having them all there scared me as I have never actually dealt with all five of them at once, usually only ever dealing with just one or two at the time at most, but now all five of them were here and making me wished I never came home as I knew that they were each going to want a turn with me; I was their favorite punching bag, especially when they knew I couldn't fight back.

Jacob was nineteen and the oldest of the DeLaurentis siblings, not really considering myself one and in many ways he was the ruthless of them all, yet was protective of his supposed younger siblings, yet could care less about me and since my mother was apparently pregnant again, he was the one that was 'in charge of me' which means more beatings and just she doesn't have twins again.

Then, there were the older twins, Michael and Allison at seventeen, with Michael playing quarterback for the varsity football team who likes to answer with his fists and my spoiled sister was Captain of the Cheerleading Squad who the whole world revolves around her and Cheerleading, both barely passing to their Junior year.

Jamie was probably was least hated brother at fifth teen who unlike my other brothers, didn't hurt me as much as they did and most of time would just ignore me and act like I wasn't there, instead of beating me, but didn't mean I liked him either as while he didn't really hurt me unless I set him off, he also didn't stop the others either.

Lastly, we had the younger twins, Maxwell and Joshua at thirteen, who come close to being as ruthless as Jacob and could definitely give a good run for his money and they take pure enjoyment in torturing me and I could see them being sociopaths when they get older, but half the pass middle school first as they were thirteen and still in the sixth grade.

Jake still a firm grip on my arm, making sure that I didn't try to escape again as they grinned at me in hunger because of the pain that they were about to inflict on me, when I wanted more than anything was for them to just my big brother's, like Piper's big brother or how Steve didn't even know me and had stolen from him, yet still treated me like a little sister that he needed to take care of; why did I have to be the one that got stuck with siblings that beat the crap out of me.

I felt the tears well up my eyes, threatening to spill over at the thought, when a fist slammed into my side as Jacob let me fall to the ground with my twisting, but thankfully didn't break as Michael stood over me, looking down at me with disgust in his eyes, making it clear that I meant nothing to him.

I was roughly kicked in the side by Max and Josh that played kicker and a little soccer on the side, something that are parents greatly disapproved of, knowing that they partly played to learn how to kick more harder, letting out a cry in pain while Jamie just sat there and watched, showing no sympathy as he just pulled out a book to read, acting like this was any other day.

I was roughly pulled up by Jacob who at this point at been watching on the sidelines while his younger brother's got their turn, slapping me so hard across the face I could feel the taste of blood in my mouth, "Don't make a sound, you hear me. One more sound and you will be wishing you were never born," he threatened, pulled on my hair.

I just nodded my head, not wanting to be hit anymore, yet knowing that my brothers were just getting started and could go on for a whole day if they were up to it, usually getting bored around lunch, feeling myself checking out and not sure I could deal with this much longer, I wasn't going to survive at this rate and they were only getting worse and knew I have to find a way to get out of here before it kills me.


	4. Running Away

I could feel the blood from where I laid on the floor, where my brothers left me after they got bored with me and couldn't find it in me to move, but knew that I had to get out of this house or one day, they were going to kill me; I wasn't sure I could survive year another nine years, I will be dead before I turn eighteen.

I was so glad and also dreading my parents not being home as while they were not here to take a turn with me, they will eventually be coming home soon and were going to want a chance at me; they weren't going to care what kind of shape I was in and it certainly wouldn't be the first time that I have been hospitalized by my family because my injuries were so bad, but nothing was never done.

I just wasn't sure where would I go if I even tried to leave, everyone in town knew what my family does to me, yet look the other and see nothing wrong with what they were doing because my family is popular in the football community because of my brothers and didn't want to lose their support and every time I try to go to someone for help, they turn their back on me like it was no big deal.

It wouldn't have mattered if I ran away from them anyway, someone would just bring me back to them for me to be abused as they couldn't have me making my family looking bad by running away, even if I was being abused both physically and mentally though I wasn't important enough to protect, it would only ruin my family socially and that was more important.

I just don't understand how just because my brothers were football stars, that it meant that them playing for the team meant more than me being abused by them everyday as no one wanted to risk losing them and wish someone could just take me away from them; my parents would only care how it would make them look socially than caring about someone taking her daughter away.

That was why I had to get out while I still had a chance, the abuse was going worse as each day goes by and the older I got, the longer the days will go by before I will be fed which is one of the reasons I get desperate enough to steal food and they don't care and could drop dead and will still not think twice about what they've done.

I hate that I was born into this horrid family with parents that didn't want me, making it clear to me from the moment I was born and siblings that take pleasure in causing me pain, with my only fault was for having been born a girl as there was only room for one daughter in this family, my perfect spoiled older sister who could do no wrong, wanting another boy to turn into a football star and I wonder if life would have been different if I had been born a boy, or would I have been like the rest of them?

I knew that if I was to run away in the next year or so as I planned, despite only going to be nine, I probably couldn't stay in Tulsa where I have lived my whole life and wouldn't be able to see my best friend, Piper anymore, but couldn't go to her after what happened when her mother reported my abuse to the police, they threatened to take her Piper away as my mother had friends from the state that could do it.

I wasn't upset when she had withdrew her complaint, I understand that she was just wanting to protect her daughter and because they lived on the edge of the Greaser part of town, they had very little money and my parents were using that against her and could easily use that to have her daughter removed for apparently being in 'harms way', but yet I can't leave my abusive home.

My parents literally were well liked and had friends everywhere, so every time I told someone what was happened, they always found out about it before it was reported and it was like they had people watching my every move, feeling suffocated that always reported back to my so called parents who would beat me for doing something that they would disapprove of, like being on the Greaser side of town.

I was personally done caring what they thought of me or trying to get some kind of approval from them, something I learned early on that I was never going to get, even going as far to not dress so much as a girl in hopes that just maybe my father would have some kind of love for me instead of always being disgusted by the sight by me which is why he never turned the light on when he came into my room at night; he didn't want to have to look at me and hated when he came in at night.

It makes me miss my grandmother as she had been the one that used to take care of me when I was young, the only one in my family that had actually ever shown me any kind of love and had lived with her until I was three which was when she had died from cancer and was forced by the state to back back in my parents care, despite my pleas to put me anywhere else, they didn't care or listen and that is when the abuse started.

I loved my grandmother more than anything and if it wasn't for her, I probably wouldn't even know what love was as I have been shown was hate and abuse from the time I was three, and whenever I was forced to visit them while I was still living with my grandmother, they were never pleasant and were always traumatic experiences for me, and it kills me that I can hardly much about her and knew better than to ask my parents for help, they would say I deserve to forget about her.

I was just glad to be getting a break from all of time as they were all leaving for family vacation tomorrow for the next two weeks and couldn't be anymore excited about that and not because I was going as it only for the family and I was not considered actual family, but because I have two weeks of no abuse before school starts in about a month; that was like a vacation to me.

I was slightly bummed that Piper was still with her over strict grandmother that her mother wanted her to spend the summer with, but I was going to have to tell her all about my peace and quiet from my abusive family when she gets back from vacation and I already know she was going to tell me all about her summer and probably wasn't as ruined as she said it would be.

I would rather spend a summer with a strict grandmother, then spending it with my parents and siblings that don't give two cents about me and just get beat everyday, because they believe I deserve it for being worse and I was too young to even stand up to them, they frightened me and knew just how to get to me or I would have run away a long time ago.

My family never cared that I wouldn't come home at nights as long as my services weren't needed and could be gone for weeks sometimes before they would even notice, which was why knowing that my parents were going to be home soon, I knew that I needed to make myself scarce before they got here as I couldn't take another beating right now and after tonight, they will be gone until before school starts and won't have to put up with them as I forced myself to get off the floor.

I tried to ignore the pain as I didn't have much time as I snuck up to the attic where I slept to grab what few belongings I own, pulling my backpack out and stuffing my things in, making sure I grabbed my stuffed rabbit and only doll before heading downstairs towards the pantry and keeping watch for my brothers as getting caught would just earn me another beating and grabbing some canned food to last me for a few days and taking off out the back door and into the neighbors backyard.

It wasn't a moment too soon as I saw my mother's car coming down the street, from where she was coming home from work and waited until she was out of her car before taking off towards the other side of town where the Greasers lived as I knew that none of my family would ever dare try to follow me here, they wouldn't want to be seen socializing with the Greasers and heading towards that abandoned house where no one can come to look for me.

I doubt that they were going to notice me missing me for a while, especially with them busy packing for their trip, glad that they were leaving tomorrow and knew that while my mother said she was going to be giving me another beating when she got home, she would never do it without my father as she knew that he would want a turn with me and can't afford to give me three beatings, they only go so far as to not kill me.

I plan to stay gone from the house until they have long left for their trip and sneak back in after though doubt they were going to leave me with food because knowing my family, they will probably deliberately lock it up so that I can't get in it as punishment as they won't be able to punish me for the next two weeks while on vacation; it was times like these that I missed my grandmother.

As far as my parents were concerned, because I wasn't good at any sports that they used to try to force on me and showed no interest in doing chearleading, like my older sister, I was worthless and never bothered to get to know me, but the only sports they cared about were football and baseball, the few sports that girls weren't allowed to play at though I was never meant to be a girl and made sure I knew that I wasn't wanted.

I may only be going on nine, but I gave up on caring what my family thought about about me a long time as I learned before I could even walk that they despised me for just existing and nothing I did was ever good enough for them, they only cared about what we could to help them raise in ranks in society, and didn't want some girl whose only skill was artistic.

They never cared about any of my art or what I would make for them when I just wanting to impress them and make them proud of me, they would just rip all my hard work into pieces, leaving me in tears as my art meant more to me than anything and for my own mother to rip up my artwork right in front of my eyes when she knew what all my art meant to me, laughing for being stupid to think that she would want some dumb drawing.

I learned art from my grandmother, having lived with her until she passed away and before she died, Grandma had been an art teacher as well as selling some of her paintings on the side that were popular at the yearly fair though was too young to remember for myself and since I was too young to attend school at the time and couldn't afford daycare, she always brought me with her, teaching me along with her students and learned to love art.

It was also a way to honor my grandmother and that was one thing that my no good family couldn't take away from me and doing art made me feel closer to her and that she was still with me; art was my passion and what was what I was real good at, not caring what they thought about how useless my art was to them, but who cares what they think, I didn't do art for them, it was what made me happy and one of few things that actually does.

I found myself back at that abandoned house on the Greasers side of town, wanting to get as far away from my parents as I could, just in case they decided to come out looking for me for one last beat down before going on vacation which was exactly what I was trying to avoid; I was in enough pain as it was without them helping out even more and just tired of being beat on.

I didn't deserve what I go through, despite them all telling me that I deserve what I go through every single day since I moved in with them and after they come back from vacation, I wasn't planning on coming back and would just stay here, deserving to feel safe for once without getting hit or my father coming at me at night, not being able to do nothing to stop it.

I was free and it wasn't like they actually took care of me anyway, I was just used as their personal servant and being their occasional punching bag when they needed someone to take their anger out on and can't remember the last time that I actually got a decent meal from them; last night with Steve Randle was the first decent meal I got in months, someone who cared that I ate and he wasn't even family or had any reason to help me, he chose to feed me and if he didn't already have an younger brother, I would gladly adopt him as my new older brother.

How much I wished to have an older brother that actually took care of me like my best friend had instead of being stuck with brothers that take pleasure in beating on me for fun, not caring when I am practically lying in a pool in my own blood because of them, when I just wanted my siblings to care for me like so many of friends have, but they would all just laugh in my face if I dared ask for them to do that, maybe even punch me.

It was obvious that I was not going to ever have someone that I can actually depend on and if I was going to fight to be free instead of being a prisoner to my parents, than I was going have to depend on myself to do it and while I may wish to have an older sibling that I could depend on, it was just never going to happen, besides who would want me anyway?

I was just some useless girl.


End file.
